Switches and similar components in telecommunications systems may include configuration files that can store large amounts of data. The data may be stored in hierarchical data sets or similar data storage structures, any of which will be referred to herein as a configuration file. There may at times be a need to obtain data from a configuration file and place the data in another data storage location. Data storage components into which data may be transferred from a configuration file may include relational databases, spreadsheets, lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP)-based components, or similar data storage structures, any of which will be referred to herein as a database. Data may be stored in different formats in configuration files and in databases. For example, data is typically stored in a compressed form in a configuration file and in an uncompressed form in a database. Data may be stored in configuration files or databases in alphabetic form, in numeric form, or in alphanumeric form. Any of these types of data will be referred to herein as a character. Configuration files and databases may make use of features such as delimiters, selectors, and vectors. Terms such as these will be used herein in the manner of their typical use by those of skill in the art. Characters, delimiters, selectors, and vectors that appear in a configuration file may be referred to generically herein as configuration file elements or types of configuration file elements.